A writer for the Emmy Award-winning animated series Robot Chicken and co-creator of the stop-motion SuperMansion, Zeb Wells began making a name for himself at Marvel with his irreverent New Warriors limited series, which provided an inspiration for key story threads that would later appear in Civil War; he also wrote the Civil War: Young Avengers & Runaways tie-in. His collaboration with the late Seth Fisher on Fantastic Four/Iron Man: Big in Japan produced one of the 21st century's most charming comics. Wells' other credits include Daredevil: Battlin' Jack Murdock, Venom: Dark Origin, Dark Reign: Elektra and Spider-Man/Doctor Octopus: Year One. He also contributed to the thrice-monthly "Brand New Day" era of Amazing Spider-Man, most notably with the "Shed" storyline; wrote two Carnage limited series; and helped relaunch New Mutants. Wells has returned to the world of the wall-crawler, teaming with the legendary John Romita Jr. for a new volume of Amazing Spider-Man. Artist Ed McGuinness came to prominence with his work on Harris Comics' Vampirella and Marvel's Deadpool. At Awesome Entertainment, McGuinness participated in a Fighting American revamp with writer Jeph Loeb, who would become a longtime collaborator.

A short run on WildStorm's Mr. Majestic led to a longer one on DC Comics' Superman and the launch of Superman/Batman with Loeb. Back at Marvel, McGuinness reunited with Loeb for Fallen Son: The Death of Captain America, Hulk and Avengers: X-Sanction before launching Amazing X-Men with Jason Aaron. McGuinness has reteamed with his Deadpool scribe Joe Kelly for Spider-Man/Deadpool and with Aaron on a blockbuster relaunch of Avengers.